Electric heating system for oil pipe lines



March 6, 1928.

C. SETZEFANT ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM FOR OIL PIPE LINES Filed Aug. 10. 1927 Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

CHARLES SETZEFANT, OF MODESTO, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM FOR OIL PIPE LINES.

Application filed August 10, 1927. Serial No. 211,928.

My invention is an electric heating system for oil pipe lines.

It is necessary for many localities where oil is transported in pipe "lines to heat the oil in order to cause itto flow more readily. My invention comprises an electric heating system by which the heat is derived froman electric current and heats the oil when passing through the system.

A further object of my inventionis to heat the oil while passing through a series of small pipes by the flow of air around the pipes, such air having been previously heated by electric;heating.,uni ts which may be of any suitable character;

Another'object of my invention is utilizing a structure with my heating appliance therein, constructed somewhat after the manner of a boiler or furnace, so that boiler or furnace structures may be remodeled using the arrows.

my electric heating system. I

Another object of my invention is ascertaining the temperature of the oil by means of a pyrometer and regulating the electric current in the electric heating units to maintain the oil at the desired temperature.

My electric heating system comprises preferably a brick structure having front, rear and' side walls and a roof. The floor has a low section in front and a raised section at the rear. In the lowsection there are a series of heating coils operated electrically, the air coming in around and below these coils. The transmission pipe line enters the back and the front of the furnace where it is connected to cone-shaped enlargements which have header plates at the large end. Between these plates there are a considerable number of small pipes suflicient to carry the flow of oil without unduly retarding-its flow. The pipes pass through intermediate disks which are supported on brackets from the raised part of the floor. The air entering the front and lower part of the furnace is heated by the electric heating units, circles and passes aroundthe separate small pipes and is discharged through a stack. j

My invention. is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectionthrough my heating appliance.

Figure 2 is a vertical:transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction of The furnace structure comprises a front wall 11, a rear wall 12, side walls 13, a top 14 and a floor 15. This floor has a low section 16 in the front and a high section 17 towards the rear of the furnace. The front of the furnace is provided with an opening 18 to which is secured a door 20 allowing access into the furnace structure, and also has an open portion 21. A stack 22 extends upwardly from the rear end of the furnace and has a damper 23 therein.

The transmission pipes 2 1 and 25 pass through wall sections 26 built into the front and rear walls 11 and 12 of the furnace, these preferably having connecting flanges 27. Inside of these sections there are coned sections of pipe 28 which have header plates 29. These header plates support a series of small pipes 30, the header plates having openings in which the ends of such pipes fit. Spaced longitudinally of the pipes 30 there are one or more disks 31 formed preferably of metal plate with perforations therethrough to accommodate the pipes. These disks are supported on bridges 32 which rest on the high section 17 of the rear part of the furnace; thus giving ample support to the pipes in the center part of the furnace.

The electric heating system comprises a series of heating units 33 which are mounted on a grate like structure 34 mounted above the low part of the floor 16. These heating units are connected by suitable conducting cables 35 to an electric controller 36 which may be manually operated or automatically controlled if desired. In order to register the temperature of the oil a pyrometer 37 is fitted in one of the coned sections of the oil pipe, preferably at the discharge end, and is connected by electric cables 38 with a register 3.9.

The manner of operation and functioning of my electric pipe line is substantially as follows:

It will be understood that the oil is pumped or otherwise forced through the system. and the electric current passing through the heating units heats these to the temperature for which they are designed or which is desired. Air enters through-the openings 21 in the front of the furnace and passing around the. heating units becomes heated to a very high degree. This air then travels through the furnace space, some of it encircling the coned ends 23, but the major portion passing around the-series of pipes which c nnect the header plates, As these P p -Ontain oil in the relatively small the base of each concd section, a plurality of cross-section, the heat is readily interchanged between the air and the pipes, thence to the oil in the pipes.

The hot air is battled to a certain extent by the supporting disks 131 and may be caused to have an irregular path up and down and longitudinally of the pipes. The air discharges through the stack 22 which is controlled by thedamper 23, The position of thisdamper regulates the outflow of a r s i no .nc essary t e a h infioiv through the openings 21.

The pyronie'tcr 2-37 :uljaccnt t-lie discharge end of the s 'stem ives areading of the register 39 of t 1c .tei'nperatnre ot the oil,hcn c'e t e operatemay egula t i o t ler 3 which governs theamonnt of e lectrie.currciii nas i gie t e h flkti .llit 'i tiy e Oil maybe lgept at thc desired constant temperze tnre or theternpcrat pe nay'he either in creased occlecreased n accordance with a prede e m neg plan. 4

It will thus be seen that I haxedeveloped a simple type-of apparatus for heating oil, and that the heating units may he readily installed. and got at for repairs. The air may be readily regulated and the use of heating unit s for heating the air and the air transferringheatto the oil allows my equipmentto he used in old styles of furnaces, by remodeling these to install the electric heating units and a series of small pipes connected toth e' 1 )ipe lines.

Various changes may he made in the principles ofmy' invention Without departing from the spirit thereof, as set forth in the descriptioatlifawings and claims.

1. In the tart described, the combination of a furnace structure having an oil .pipe line connected through the ends of the turnace, a series of smaller pipes connecting the pipe lines in the furnace; electric heating units in the furnace, a stack, and ineans to control the flow of air through the furnace orer the limiting units -and around said smaller pipes. i

In the art dcscribed.,, the con'ibinatiou of a furnace having'front and back Walls. a. pipe line entering the furnace through said walls, a cone-shaped unit connected to each of tlie pipes, a series oi smaller pipes connected to the coned structures, a stack connected to the ,roofof the furnace, a plurali- W 9i .Qltgltric heating units in the base of t e furnace, and a passage for air entering nde n a h r heating uni s the a P35 itig upw rd y tQu'nds id' n ts, a und aid P e iitnd-x theeta k lathe artfis jribedithe com na o of a itlll fitifi haying front Walls, a Pair f l nic t e l e er t g. t g'h a d cal s, @011 h ying e5 QQ A d' a p ise fi e nnected' thereto -with a header plate forming smaller pipes connecting said header plat-cs, an inlet for air near the base of the furnace at one en d a stack connected to the roof of the furnace at the other end, a series of electric heating unitsabove the air inlet, the air passing around the heating units, heating the small pipes and leaving through the staclc.

4. In the art described, as claimed in claim 3, an electric thermostat in one of the concd' pipe sections, a register connected to said thermostat, and a controller for the electric heating units.

5. In the art described, as claimed in claim 3, a plurality of disks through which the said smaller pipes pass, and bridges connected to. the floor ofthc furnace and sup iiorting said disks.

G. In the art describcd the combination of a furnace having front and back walls, a floor havinga lower seetion-toivards theafront and a higher section towards the rear, a stack extending through-the'roof and air inlet through thelowcr part of'the front, a, pair ofoil pipes in the front and back walls, coned pipe sections connected thereto at the front and baok'of the furnace,- each having a header plate on its base, a plurality of smaller pipes connecting the header plates, electric heating units in the front of the furnace adjacentthe lower part of the floor, the air passing upwardly t-l'irough said heatin; units and'circulating around the smaller pipes and passing out of the stack.

7. In the art describeiil, the combination of a furi'iace having front and-back walls, a floor having a low front section and a raised rear section', there being an air opening in' the front wall near the floor, a'stack forming an outlet through the root. a pair of oil pipes entering'through the front and-hack walls and having coned pipe sections connected 'thercto, each having a header plate formin the base, a scries'of smaller pipes connecting said header plates.- a, 'ilurality of disks on said smaller pipes through \\'-'-'hich said pipes pass, a bridge for each disk con nccte d to the upper section of the door, apluralit of electric heating units positioned above the front lower floor section, the air passing upwardly through said heating units, circulating around the smaller pipes and having an outlet tliroughjthe stack 8; In the art described, as claimed in claim 7. an electric thermostat mounted in one of the coned pipe sections, an indicator mounted on the 'roof and, connected tojsaid the-rmostana controller mounted on the roof and having an electric connection to the electric heat- 2 ea t ln te timq y he i ha gn y name to thisspecificati'o'n. '7

CHAS. sEr-zEE-Aa' r.

lit) 

